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NASA has confirmed that its Perseverance rover managed to collect the first rock sample on Mars. “I’ve got it!” (I got it), tweeted the US space agency, posting a photo of the sample.
The sample was collected on September 1, but NASA was initially unsure whether the rover had successfully held the precious cargo because the initial low-light images were unclear.
After taking a new photo so mission control could verify its contents, Perseverance moved the tube inside the rover for further measurements and imaging, then hermetically sealed the container. “This is a momentous achievement and I can’t wait to see the incredible discoveries produced by Perseverance and our team,” NASA administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.
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